Author: Lesley Anne Warner

  • New book: Military Integration during War-to-Peace Transitions (Routledge, 2023)

    New book: Military Integration during War-to-Peace Transitions (Routledge, 2023)

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    I’m excited to announce that my dissertation has been published as Military Integration during War-to-Peace Transitions: South Sudan’s Attempt to Manage Armed Groups, 2006-13! In the 1960s, only 10% of peace agreements included some element of political-military accommodation – namely, military integration. From Burundi to Bosnia to Zimbabwe, that number had increased to over 50%… Read.

  • The Disintegration of the Military Integration Process in South Sudan (2006–2013)

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    Originally published by Stability: International Journal of Security and Development on September 27, 2016) Abstract: This article argues that military integration served a critical purpose in 2006, arguably preventing large-scale conflict within South Sudan and ensuring a level of stability prior to the CPA-mandated referendum on self-determination in 2011. Nonetheless, integration was poorly-conceived and implemented, and received limited… Read.

  • South Sudan at Five – Recommended Readings

    Today is the 5th anniversary of South Sudan’s independence. As the country is recovering from a devastating civil war and continues to suffer from rampant inflation, the government had previously announced that it would cancel independence celebrations. Instead, the two days preceding the holiday, South Sudan instead marked the occasion by having government and opposition… Read.

  • The ‘Is it hotter than Djibouti’ game

    The ‘Is it hotter than Djibouti’ game

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about one aspect of the time I spent in Djibouti a few years ago:   I spend the majority… Read.

  • The Conviction of Hissène Habré

    The Conviction of Hissène Habré

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      Today, the Extraordinary African Chambers in Senegal convicted former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré, who ruled from 1982 to 1990, of crimes against humanity. Habré is accused of 40,000 politically-motivated killings and the torture of approximately 200,000 people before he was overthrown by the current…president Idriss Déby, who was his former chief military advisor. Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch… Read.

  • Lesley on Africa practices small talk

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    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is a story about my attempt to bridge the gap between my previous work on conflict and… Read.

  • The time I got acronymed into submission

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    Apologies for my unscheduled blogging hiatus. In addition to dissertating, I’ve been learning more about U.S.-Africa relations outside of security assistance and trying to find linkages to what I know best. Like the time I suggested that assistance to health systems should also be harmonized to address infectious disease among trans-border populations based on my… Read.

  • Four Weaknesses of South Sudan’s Military Integration Process

    Four Weaknesses of South Sudan’s Military Integration Process

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    Originally published by Security Sector Reform Resource Centre on August 18, 2015) In December 2013, South Sudan’s military integration process faced its most serious challenge, as a political crisis that had been developing throughout the year within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) suddenly escalated, dragging the country into civil war. Within days, Nuer elements of… Read.

  • Highlights from SFRC Hearing on Security Assistance in Africa

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    Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health held a hearing on U.S. Security Assistance in Africa. The hearing was webcast, and you can also find the testimonies of Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Puneet Talwar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Amanda Dory, and Lauren… Read.

  • Buhari Against Boko Haram: What He Brings to the Fight

    (Originally published in War on the Rocks on June 1, 2015) Since February, the counter-Boko Haram fight has gained momentum, a function of the imperative imposed by a need to improve security prior to Nigeria’s elections, as well as increased regional cooperation with neighboring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, and an influx of South African mercenaries. Yet, up until weeks… Read.

  • How might Burundi’s political instability affect its integrated military?

    After weeks of protests against Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza’s intent to seek a third term, a cabal of military officers launched a coup on 13 May. Although the coup ultimately failed, it laid bare divisions within the military, which had thus far remained neutral. This development raises the question of how the political dispute over… Read.

  • Trying to understand the protests and attempted coup-iny in Burundi

    Perhaps you’ve been following the weeks of protests in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s intent to run for a third term and the subsequent attempted coup-iny (no one quite knows what to call it, so I combined coup & mutiny) of 13 and 14 May. If you’re like me and are struggling… Read.

  • New Report: The Anatomy of the Resource Curse: Predatory Investment in Africa’s Extractive Industries

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    My colleague, J.R. Mailey of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, just published The Anatomy of the Resource Curse: Predatory Investment in Africa’s Extractive Industries. Full disclosure: I haven’t read the report in its entirety, but I’ve seen J.R. brief on this topic and know the investigative and analytical work that went into producing it, so I’d… Read.

  • #GroundTruthNigeria Google Hangout

    Following last month’s presidential elections in Nigeria, I joined Karen Attiah, Lauren Bohn, and Chika Oduah in a Google Hangout to discuss the country’s democratic evolution, narratives on Nigeria, Boko Haram, and U.S.-Nigeria relations. Hilary Matfess decided to join in on the fun to discuss her recent trip to Nigeria and interviews of people displaced by Boko Haram violence. Check… Read.

  • Relevant Analyses on Upcoming Nigerian Elections

    Nigeria’s elections, previously due to be held last month, are being held in the coming weeks. So you know what this means – a list of recommended readings! But before you applaud, a brief background: Presidential elections, as well as those for the Senate and National Assembly will be held on March 28, while elections… Read.

  • “No Escort Required?”

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is a story about an awkward experience I had while trying to get an interview for a… Read.

  • Guest Post: After this month’s postponement, giving Nigeria a credible election

    This is a guest post by Christopher O’Connor, Assistant Program Officer for Nigeria at the National Endowment for Democracy. The views expressed are his own, and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Endowment of Democracy. To the dismay of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and a sizable portion of the electorate, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission… Read.

  • Can Regional Effort Uproot Boko Haram in Time for Nigeria Elections?

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    (Originally published in World Politics Review on February 13, 2015) Last weekend, Nigeria’s electoral commission announced that, contrary to statements made just days prior by the chief of defense staff and the chief of army staff, the country’s security forces could not guarantee the safe conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections originally scheduled for Feb. 14 and 28. The… Read.

  • PRISM Africa Issue Released

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    My former boss, who was cool enough to give me the long leash required to do the TSCTP Study when I was at the Center for Complex Operations, just released PRISM Volume 5, Number 2. This issue is the journal’s first African security-focused one, and includes the following articles: The Tswalu Dialog by Michael Miklaucic On the State of Peace… Read.

  • South Sudan’s warring parties agree to agree on a peace agreement

    (Originally published in The Washington Post’s Monkey Cage Blog on February 5, 2015) Since the beginning of the year, two developments have revived hope that South Sudan’s civil war, which began in December 2013, may soon come to an end. First, the country’s main political party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), whose split precipitated… Read.

  • South Sudan’s Civil War – One Year On

    First of all, let me confess that I’m an idiot. I arrived in Juba a few days ago, and today, 15 December, is the one year anniversary of the start of South Sudan’s civil war. I’ve been asked if I did this on purpose, and told that I was traveling in the absolutely wrong direction.… Read.

  • Remembrance/Armistice/Veterans Day shout out for WWI in Africa Project

    Depending on what part of the world you live in, today is Remembrance/Armistice/Veterans Day. As a kid, I remember my mother telling us stories of my Trinidadian great uncle who fought for the Commonwealth during either World War I or World War II. (We’re still trying to figure out which one it was…) As a result,… Read.

  • Burkina Faso: Coup or No Coup? What Security Assistance Might be at Stake

    Was there or was there not a coup in Burkina Faso? The answer to that question is “Yes.” As of Monday, the United States was yet to determine whether the weekend’s events actually constituted a coup, which led to an interesting Egypt-circa-July 2013 exchange during the State Department’s Daily Press Briefing: By calling for a civilian-led transitional government, the U.S. government appears to be… Read.

  • Median Ages in Africa + Leader Tenure in Power

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    There’s nothing like a political crisis to get me blogging again. Following last week’s mass protests in Burkina Faso that resulted in the resignation and exile of Blaise Compaoré, who had ruled the country since 1987, I thought it would be cool to juxtapose the median ages African countries with the tenure in power of Compaoré and… Read.

  • Compaoré is gone, but Burkina Faso is gripped by uncertainty

    (Originally published in Al Jazeera America on November 1, 2014) On Oct. 30, protesters calling for the ouster of Burkina Faso’s longtime leader, President Blaise Compaoré, torched government buildings, stormed radio stations and burned the homes of government officials in the capital Ouagadougo and the country’s second largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso. The protests followed months of… Read.

  • The time Africa came to DC (Well, some of it.)

    Today marks Day 1 of the inaugural U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which is being held in Washington, DC from August 4-6, 2014. Yours truly will be observing the Summit’s events from afar, as my invitation appears to have gotten lost in the mail… In the weeks leading up to the Summit, there were concerns that the event might not contribute to advancing the Obama… Read.

  • As Talks Stall, South Sudan Conflict Grinds to Stalemate

    (Originally published in World Politics Review on July 22, 2014) Seven months after fighting broke out between the government of South Sudan and anti-government forces, the conflict is at a stalemate, both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Unlike the early days of the conflict, when cities like Bor, Bentiu and Malakal changed… Read.

  • South Sudan Post-Independence: Things Fall Apart

    (Originally published in War on the Rocks on July 17, 2014) Three years into its independence, South Sudan faces multiple crises on political, security, and humanitarian fronts. After almost a decade of relative peace following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with Sudan in 2005, a political dispute within South Sudan’s ruling party,… Read.

  • Fostering Democracy, Good Governance, and Human Rights in Africa Through Security Sector Assistance

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    Yesterday, I presented on a National Endowment for Democracy panel on “Fostering Democracy, Good Governance, and Human Rights in Africa Through Security Sector Assistance.” Video of the event can be found here and links to the papers we presented are below: Christopher Holshek from the Alliance for Peacebuilding presented on Mali’s Teachable Moment: The Primacy of Civil Authority in… Read.

  • The Trans Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership: Building Partner Capacity to Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism in the Sahel & Maghreb

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    A few months ago, I published the study I had been working on during my IPA Assignment at the Center for Complex Operations at National Defense University – The Trans Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership – Building Partner Capacity to Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism. The study discusses the origins of TSCTP, which is rather unique by U.S.… Read.

  • Bentiu changes hands for the 4th time

    UPDATE as of 9am EST: Sudan Tribune reports that SPLM-IO has claimed to have recaptured Bentiu, while the government of South Sudan claims the SPLA is defending their positions in the town from rebel fighter.   In case you missed it, Sudan Human Security Baseline Assessment released some new briefs last week on the ongoing… Read.

  • Never a dull moment with the SPLA…

    Although I’m writing this from my cushy office in northern Virgina, It seemed like relative calm had returned, at least, to Juba after the outbreak of violence across parts of South Sudan in mid-December. (For background on the roots of the current crisis, see Radio Tamazuj’s Nine questions about the South Sudan crisis: A guide for confused… Read.

  • Happy 90th, Mr. Mugabe

    Zimbabwe is one of the countries I don’t follow too closely, but it was hard to miss President Robert Mugabe’s 90th birthday celebration over the weekend. (His actual birthday was on Friday the 21st). I paid my respects by watching Nando’s “Last Dictator Standing” ad, which features a sad Mugabe reminiscing over the presumably fictionalized good… Read.

  • Museveni plays peacemaker by day and combatant by night in South Sudan

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    (Originally published in African Arguments on January 31, 2014) Within days of the outbreak of the violence in mid-December, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) deployed to South Sudan at the government’s invitation. The UPDF’s mission at the outset was ostensibly to evacuate the over 200,000 stranded Ugandan nationals and to secure strategic installations in Juba. However, several… Read.

  • Catching up on CAR, trying to avoid clichés

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    If you’ve been following the news on the Central African Republic (CAR) over the past 13 months, you have probably seen many references to the country’s abundant mineral wealth, chronic instability, crushing poverty, sectarian (Christian vs. Muslim) strife, and allegations of genocide. Some of the recent analysis and media reporting goes beyond these clichés, so I thought I’d… Read.

  • Cessation of Hostilities (or Ceasefire Lite) signed for South Sudan

    Yesterday in Addis, a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was signed between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement / Army in Opposition (SPLM/A in Opposition). The agreement enters into force 24 hours from the time at which it was signed. Contrary to what some media are reporting, this Cessation… Read.

  • U.S. to help stand up Nigerian Army Special Operations Command (NASOC)

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    Last week, Nigeria announced the creation of an Army Special Operations Command (NASOC) at a Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Lessons Learned Exchange between the United States and Nigeria. I’d been tracking developments with regard to bilateral security cooperation and had heard about the creation of NASOC when I was in Nigeria last summer, which is why this announcement… Read.

  • Burkina Faso’s Compaoré needs an Exit Strategy

    (Originally published in World Politics Review on January 21, 2014) Despite its status as a poor, landlocked country in the midst of West Africa, Burkina Faso plays an important role in the region and for its international partners. During his 26 years in power, President Blaise Compaore has cast himself as an indispensible mediator, having brokered… Read.

  • Return to the Mothership

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    Yesterday was my first day back at CNA, the place I’ve affectionately called “The Mothership” for the past fifteen months of my assignment at the Center for Complex Operations. While at CCO, I was working on an analysis of the Trans Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership (TSCTP), which is an interagency U.S. government program to counter… Read.

  • Lesley on Africa can’t get enough of #ThingsILoveAboutSouthSudan

    Earlier today, I wrote about the #ThingsILoveAboutSouthSudan hashtag, but I enjoyed the photos so much that I’m embedding more below: https://twitter.com/E_Poli/status/422078323867795457 The people you pass on the street. #thingsiloveaboutSouthSudan #southsudan pic.twitter.com/sIsVeBkKue — Ryan Musser (@musserryan) January 15, 2014 https://twitter.com/disastrpassport/status/422439377008984064 https://twitter.com/AguilB/status/423555496155820032 https://twitter.com/E_Poli/status/423561474490236928 Views from Jebel Kujur at dusk. My favorite. #thingsiloveaboutSouthSudan #SouthSudan pic.twitter.com/8QlhNuOOHs — Ryan Musser (@musserryan)… Read.

  • Lesley on Africa loves #ThingsILoveAboutSouthSudan

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    I may have had a liberal relationship with the truth when I said I was in Twitter exile. Over the past few days, it appears that the hashtag  #ThingsILoveAboutSouthSudan has been trending, as those who have spent time in South Sudan share their positive experiences of the country and its people. Earlier this week, BBC… Read.

  • South Sudan roundup (+ recommended readings!)

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    I’m in the process of transitioning from my current assignment back to The Mothership this month, so I haven’t been able to keep up with the events unfolding in South Sudan as much as I’d like. From what I can ascertain, here are some important developments from the past two weeks: Since mid-December, 189,000 South Sudanese… Read.

  • Meeting the Demand for African-led, Internationally Supported Peace Interventions

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    The Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings has continued its tradition of asking its experts and colleagues to identify what they consider to be the key issues for Africa in the coming year in “Foresight Africa: Top Priorities for the Continent in 2014.” The format of the report is as follows (and includes a contribution from yours truly): Pushing the Employment… Read.

  • Reporting the #SouthSudanCrisis: Do journalists (and analysts) have a R2P?

    Since violence broke out last week in South Sudan, I’ve been thinking about the role that information – or lack thereof – plays in stoking violence. I spent most of last week (here, here, and here) trying to parse fact from rumor, watching how some South Sudanese political elites stoked fears with their rhetoric (Salva Kiir,… Read.

  • South Sudanese Tweeps to follow on #SouthSudanCrisis

    Last week, I compiled a list of people on twitter who I was following for information on the #JubaCrisis and #SouthSudanCrisis. Today, Aguil Lual Blunt (@AguilB), a South Sudanese-American fellow tweep, graciously compiled a list of South Sudanese on twitter who were tweeting on events in South Sudan as they unfolded. Local Media Organizations: @GurtongTrust @RadioMiraya @RadioDabanga @RadioTamazuj… Read.

  • NTV Kenya Interview: What’s behind the South Sudan Turmoil?

    Today, I appeared on NTV Kenya with host Larry Madowo and South Sudanese musician and ex-child soldier Lam Tungwar to talk about recent developments in South Sudan – among other things, the incident in which U.S. aircraft sent to evacuate American citizens from the city of Bor in Jonglei State was fired upon by small arms fire. You can watch… Read.

  • PBS News Hour Interview on South Sudan

    Yesterday evening, I appeared on PBS News Hour to talk about the week’s developments in South Sudan, about which I’d been writing here, here, here, here, and here. You can watch the video below: Read.

  • Comments on South Sudan in Think Africa Press & recommended reading

    Today, I gave an interview on BBC News on the situation in South Sudan and was included in Think Africa Press‘ Experts Weekly: South Sudan in Violent Crisis. In addition to my comments on the spat between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, comments from other SMEs included: Matthew LeRiche, one of the authors of South Sudan:… Read.

  • Don’t read too much into U.S. evacuating AmCits from South Sudan (w/correction note)

    Correction: After I posted this, a colleague corrected my references below to a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) from South Sudan. Apparently, what happened was not technically classified as a NEO, since ALL personnel depart  in a NEO (as opposed to South Sudan where the Embassy still has essential staff), and it usually has more military involvement.… Read.

  • It’s Wednesday, so naturally Peter Gadet has defected from the SPLA

    As the title of this posts suggests, it’s Wednesday (click here for a laugh), so naturally Peter Gadet has defected from the SPLA. I continue to reiterate here and here that there’s a lot we still don’t know about what’s going on in South Sudan and former VP Riek Machar is still on the run.… Read.

  • Day Two of #JubaCrisis: Still Many “Known Unknowns”

    As I wrote yesterday, something is going down in South Sudan. Here’s a few updates: Former VP Riek Machar is still missing. (My #WhereIsRiek hashtag still needs some love). His home has been raided and much of the property destroyed. In his press conference yesterday, President Salva Kiir referred to Riek as a “Prophet of… Read.

  • *Something* is going down in South Sudan, but it’s unclear what

    Since yesterday around 6:30pm (local time), a series of events have been unfolding in Juba, South Sudan that are being characterized as either a mutiny of certain elements of the SPLA or a coup attempt. It’s still unclear what exactly is going on, and the news media has not been the best source of breaking… Read.

  • Why has the international response to CAR taken so long?

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    Stability is not a term one would use to describe the Central African Republic – particularly in light of the recent conflict which has engulfed the country. Last December, the Séléka rebel coalition challenged then-President François Bozizé’s grasp on power and eventually ousted him in March 2013. At first, the international response to the humanitarian and human rights… Read.

  • U.S. Foreign Policy and Security Cooperation in Sub-Saharan Africa (& musings on PPD-23)

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    This is a month overdue, but in case you missed it, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Commander, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) General David Rodriguez held an online press conference on U.S. Foreign Policy and Security Cooperation in Sub-Saharan Africa. You can find a video with closed captioning on YouTube and remarks on the… Read.

  • Lesley on Africa attends DAWN Weekend

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    Dear Readers, This weekend, I attended the Diaspora African Women’s Network (DAWN) 6th Annual Leadership Awards and had a blast meeting fellow DAWNers and supporters of DAWN. DAWN’s mission is to develop and support the next generation of African diaspora women leaders focused on African affairs by promoting the role of the diaspora in Africa’s development, diversifying the African… Read.

  • Lesley on Africa LOVES Fieldwork (or In Praise of Fieldwork)

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    As the title of this post so emphatically declares, I love when my projects require fieldwork. I’m working on a project in FY13 that has had me traveling to African Country A (Niger), African Country B (Chad), African Country C (Mali), African Country D (Senegal), African Country E (Morocco), African Country F (Algeria) and African… Read.

  • That Time I was a Volcano Refugee

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. Early yesterday morning, the international arrivals terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya was… Read.

  • The time when Salva Kiir nuked his large tent

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    Today, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir sacked his Vice President Riek Machar and dissolved the government, leaving undersecretaries of various ministries to run said ministries until further notice. Although there had been a few recent indications of internal fissures within the ruling Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the cold war between Salva and Riek… Read.

  • Rumor has it Nigerian troops leaving Mali, MINUSMA

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    Yesterday, Nigeria’s The Guardian newspaper reported that President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the withdrawal of Nigerian troops currently deployed to Mali. Nigerian troops initially entered Mali in January 2013 as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), and had come under the command of the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali… Read.

  • Comments on President Obama’s Africa trip & US-Africa relations published in Think Africa Press

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    Today, President Obama kicks off his second visit to Africa as since becoming president, and will be visiting Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania over the course of the next week. Accordingly, Thomas Tieku, Mwangi Kimenyi, Cobus van Staden, Witney Schneidman, and I are featured in Think Africa Press’ Experts Weekly: What Next for US-Africa Relations?… Read.

  • What I (was NOT) doing in African Country B & Chad’s recent (alleged) coup attempt

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    On occasion, I write about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about my current travel covering parts of Africa and Europe. Dear Readers, Earlier this week, I was in Chad (African Country B). And… Read.

  • What I did in African Country A (Niger)

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    On occasion, I write about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about my current travel covering parts of Africa and Europe. Dear Readers, The jig is up! I’ve moved on from African Country A,… Read.

  • First 24 hours in African Country A (and adventures re-learning French)

    On occasion, I write about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about my current travel covering parts of Africa and Europe. Just to be safe, I won’t mention where I am until head to the… Read.

  • Guest Post – AFRICOM’s Impact on International and Human Security: A Case Study of Tanzania

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    This is a guest post by Mikenna Maroney, a MA Candidate in International Security at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. She is currently a David L. Boren Fellow in Tanzania studying Swahili language and conducting research for her MA thesis on AFRICOM. Ms. Maroney seeks additional contacts with expertise on… Read.

  • Advancing Peace and Security in Africa

    The Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings has just published a new report – “Top Five Reasons Why Africa Should Be a Priority for the United States.” The format of the report is as follows (and includes a contribution from yours truly): Introduction: Why Africa Matters to the United States by Mwangi Kimenyi Advancing Peace and Security… Read.

  • South Africa inspires a “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” in the CAR

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    South Africa has found itself in a situation where it looks more like an Executive Outcomes B-team than a regional power seeking to contribute to peace and stability on the continent. Over the weekend, approximately 200 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops were involved in a nine-hour battle with Séléka rebels in the Central… Read.

  • Flawed peace process leads to greater unrest in the Central African Republic

    (Originally published in World Politics Review on March 26, 2013) Over the weekend, the Séléka rebel alliance seized Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic (CAR). This most recent offensive was the latest development in a rebellion that commenced in December 2012 over President François Bozizé’s failure to implement the 2007 Birao Peace Agreement and the 2008 Libreville Comprehensive… Read.

  • AFRICOM Testimony to SASC: Part II (Projected Impact of Sequestration)

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    During General Ham’s appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) earlier this week, he delivered prepared testimony and responded to questions posed to him by members of the committee. (You can find the archived webcast of hearing here.) Most of the questions concerned AFRICOM’s posture for crisis response operations, which I covered in an earlier blog post, and the projected impact… Read.

  • AFRICOM Testimony to SASC: Part I (Posture for Crisis Response Ops)

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    Yesterday, General Carter Ham, outgoing Commander, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) regarding the programs and budget needed to meet current and future requirements within the AFRICOM area of responsibility (AoR). This was General Ham’s last testimony to the SASC in this position, as General David Rodriguez has been confirmed as General… Read.

  • Competing Imperatives: Post-Conflict Military Integration and Demobilization in South Sudan

    Last week, I did a webinar for the Cultural Knowledge Symposium‘s Speaker Series based on the research I have done thus far on South Sudan. You can see the video from the webinar below: Synopsis: Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the government of South Sudan has sought to neutralize… Read.

  • Capacity-Building Key to AFRICOM’s Mission

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    (Originally published in World Politics Review on February 5, 2013) Across the globe, partner capacity-building through steady-state theater security cooperation plays an increasingly important role in the forward defense posture of the United States. The Defense Department’s 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review identifies building the security capacity of partner states as a key mission, while the 2010 National Security Strategy argues that the… Read.

  • Kiir reshuffles the SPLA

    Earlier this week, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir reshuffled officers within the SPLA. According to some of the people I spoke with when I was in Juba in August, this has been in the works for several months and was actually expected since last fall. They suspected that the next round of retirements and promotions… Read.

  • And then the dude said “I want to have a happy new year” (Part II)

    On occasion, I write about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following (Part II) is about the conclusion of a trip I took with a friend several years ago. It is intentionally vague about what countries… Read.

  • And then the dude said “I want to have a happy new year” (Part I)

    On occasion, I write about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following (Part I) is about the conclusion of a trip I took with a friend several years ago. It is intentionally vague about what countries… Read.

  • The one where the SPLA accidentally downs an UNMISS helicopter…

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    I have developed a habit for blaming South Sudan for my inability to get anything on my “To Do” list done. That appears to be the case again today. News broke this morning that the SPLA had allegedly shot down a UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Mi-8 helicopter that had been conducting a reconnaissance mission near Likuangole in Jonglei state.… Read.

  • Security Challenges in Libya and the Sahel (CNA Workshop Report)

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    Over the past two years, the world has witnessed a redrawing of the geopolitical map of the Middle East and North Africa. The responsibility for regional security and stability – which Western governments once relied on the area’s authoritarian regimes to ensure – now falls to the transitional or newly elected governments that replaced the… Read.

  • In near term, containment may be the name of the game in Mali

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    If you’re following the news on Mali, you’ve no doubt seen the most recent developments in the political crisis in Bamako in which the military junta “encouraged” or “facilitated” the resignation of PM Cheikh Modibo Diarra on Tuesday. (For thorough roundup of analyses and reactions to this incident, I would refer you here). Two months ago,… Read.

  • The Future of Security Cooperation in the AFRICOM AoR

    Dear Readers, The past few days have been intellectually bipolar. I spent most of the weekend at the African Studies Association (ASA) Annual Meeting learning from academically-minded colleagues who also specialize in Africa. I also attended some of the panels whose impressive presenters were complemented by their empirically rich research and analysis. The whole exercise was… Read.

  • Kenya’s 2013 elections: Opportunities for change or opportunities for violence?

    Dear Readers, I’ve been nocturnal of late, crashing on a paper I’m presenting on the post-conflict integration of armed groups into the SPLA at the African Studies Association conference on Saturday. My odd hours may, in part, explain my recollection of the phone call I received this morning from one of my contacts in Kenya.… Read.

  • Some brief thoughts on U.S. Africa policy in a second Obama term

    Dear Readers, I almost hesitate to add another voice to the “U.S. Africa policy in a (insert presidential candidate here) Administration” debate, but here goes: Since the release in June of this year of the U.S. Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa, there have been many critiques of the Obama Administration’s Africa policy. Indeed, at first glance, my… Read.

  • Force Reduction Key to South Sudan’s Military Transformation

    (Originally published in World Politics Review on November 5, 2012) South Sudan has embarked on a program to transform the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the country’s preindependence guerrilla army, into a professional, conventional force by 2017. However, the success of this transformation strategy, referred to as Objective Force 2017, is contingent on a number… Read.

  • Playing chicken with the UN, Uganda threatens to withdraw from peacekeeping operations

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    You could argue that the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, seeks to replace Muammar Qadhafi as the alpha male of Africa and Meles Zenawi as the pan-African mediator. But those aspirations may have to be put on hold. In the UN Group of Experts (UN GoE) report that was leaked last month, Uganda and Rwanda… Read.

  • Piracy trends off the coasts of Somalia and Nigeria

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    The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) released its Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships Report for the Period 1 January – 30 September 2012. I often find these reports helpful in tracking trends with regard piracy and armed robbery at sea, but it is important to read the reports with two things in mind. First, unlike… Read.

  • UN inches closer to approving ECOWAS intervention in Mali

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    Last week, the situation in Mali received some attention at the UN Security Council, which resulted in the council adopting Resolution 2071. However, if you look closely at the wording of the resolution, you’ll see that we’re still a ways from an ECOWAS-led military intervention in Mali. You may recall that back in July, UNSC passed Resolution 2056 which expressed the council’s readiness… Read.

  • “Once I saw a lion right there between those huts”

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is a story about the first time I went on safari and realized that quite… Read.

  • A snippet of U.S. elections from abroad… and other stuff

    Dear Readers, I sincerely apologize for having abandoned you for much of the month of September. When last I wrote, I was starting my transit from South Sudan with a brief layover in Kenya, a week of reintegration into DC life, and a week of transition from my current position into a new, albeit temporary… Read.

  • With Al-Shabaab on the Run, Kenya Moves on Kismaayo

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    (Originally published on RUSI.org on September 5, 2012) In October 2011, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) invaded southern Somalia with the stated purpose of dismantling Al-Shabaab and seizing the port city of Kismaayo, from which the Islamist militant organisation earns the majority of its revenues. After an initially swift invasion, Kenyan forces languished in southern… Read.

  • Vehicle commandeering and important paper-waving

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about my current trip to South Sudan and my efforts to conduct research in Juba: Today… Read.

  • Death, Divergence, and Division

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    This week brought a few high-profile deaths to this part of the African continent – namely Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) General Paulino Matip. Both men played crucial roles in their countries (and in Meles’ case, further abroad), and their deaths spurred some very impassioned,… Read.

  • Guest post: Meles’ Death and the Implications for Somalia

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    Meles Zenawi, the repressive but visionary prime minister of Ethiopia, died on Tuesday after months of speculation on his health. His death has created a power vacuum in the Horn of Africa and will undoubtedly have numerous implications for the region. This development prompts several questions with which international observers will now grapple; yet the… Read.

  • First 36 hours in Juba

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is about my current trip to South Sudan and my first days in Juba: Dear Readers, Lesley… Read.

  • Kenya’s Coast Province Could Be Flashpoint in Run-Up to Elections

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    (Originally published in World Politics Review on August 17, 2012) An ongoing standoff in Kenya’s Coast province between the central government and the secessionist Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) could make the region a flashpoint for next year’s elections. Formed in 1999 to address the region’s marginalization, the MRC was designated by the government as an… Read.

  • Key questions for African-initiated intervention force for eastern DRC

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    On August 7th and 8th, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) heads of state met to discuss the deployment of an international force to fight the M23 rebel movement that has been active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu region since April of this year. While they did not end… Read.

  • Nigeria oil production reaches all-time high…then gunmen attack

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    Over the weekend, gunmen attacked a vessel belonging to an oil services company in the Niger Delta, which resulted in the death of two Nigerian sailors guarding the vessel and the kidnapping of four expatriates. In response to the attacks, the Nigerian navy has dispatched a ship and a helicopter to the area. According to… Read.

  • Coup allegations in South Sudan

    This week brought rumors of a coup plot last month against South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir. This marks at least the second time since late April that there have been rumors of this type. Just to set the scene, the first set of rumors came a few months after South Sudan decided to cut off… Read.

  • Ban on the Mombasa Republican Council Lifted

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    On Wednesday, the High Court in Mombasa ruled that the Kenyan government’s ban on the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) was unconstitutional. Established in 1999 to address the issue of marginalization of the Coast region by the central government, the MRC began to call for secession of the Coast region in 2008. This objective, which is based on… Read.

  • East Africa’s Oil/Gas Rush Highlights Kenya-Somalia Maritime Border Dispute

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    If you’ve been following energy news in Africa, you are probably aware that East Africa is experiencing a bit of an oil and gas rush. In addition to the discoveries of oil deposits in Puntland and in the Lake Turkana region of Kenya, there have also been discoveries of about 100 trillion cubic feet (tcf)… Read.

  • Reflections of an Africa specialist trapped in the Beltway

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    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is actually a non-analytical rant/musing on my current case of writer’s block and my exile to the Beltway,… Read.

  • Calls Continue for Military Intervention in Mali

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    In June, the African Union (AU) Peace & Security Council called upon the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to endorse the deployment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Standby Force to ensure the security of the transitional institutions; restructure and reorganize the Malian security and defense forces; and restore State authority over… Read.

  • Austerity and Corruption in South Sudan

    Last month, South Sudan’s Minister of Finance & Economic Planning presented the country’s 2012/2013 budget before the National Legislative Assembly. The budget, which is 6.4 billion South Sudanese Pounds (roughly $1.3B USD at black market rates), went into effect at the beginning of this month, taking into account the austere conditions brought about by the… Read.

  • Potential Takeaways on Africa in the 2012 Failed States Index (Part II)

    In my previous post, I gave an overview of Fund for Peace’s methodology for the Failed States Index and offered some brief thoughts on how the index may or may not be useful. This post will focus on how Africa (scoped to exclude Egypt and South Sudan for reasons mentioned in the previous post) fares… Read.

  • Making Sense of the 2012 Failed States Index (Part I)

    Last week, Fund for Peace released the 2012 Failed States Index. Accordingly, my next two posts will cover my thoughts on how the index may or may not be useful (Part I) and how Africa fares on the index (Part II). But before I start, two important caveats: First, if you are looking for a… Read.

  • My ‘Kenya’s invasion of Somalia’ paper and additional insights on Somalia (made by smarter people)

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    Earlier this month, my analysis of Kenya’s invasion of Somalia was published in Vol 3., No. 3 of PRISM Journal, which is put out by National Defense University. The abstract is as follows: For the past two decades, Kenya has pursued a multilateral and primarily diplomatic approach to Somalia’s instability. However, in October 2011, Kenya… Read.

  • “Intellectual Crushes, Culinary Tourism, and Cheeky Americanism”

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is a story about  what I’m up to right now in Kenya – learning, eating, etc: Dear… Read.

  • U.S. strategy towards sub-Saharan Africa released

    I’m in transit to Mombasa, so this post is going to be brief. But I wanted to mention that yesterday, the Obama Administration released a paper detailing the four pillars of U.S. Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa: Strengthen democratic institutions Spur economic growth, trade, and investment Advance peace and security Promote opportunity and development These priorities are quite similar to the ones… Read.

  • Senate considers funding cuts to Kenyan security forces over human rights abuses (Part II)

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    In my last post, I wrote about how the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations had asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to submit a report to the Committee to verify that the U.S. government is not providing security assistance to Kenyan military or police personnel who may have been involved in human rights abuses in Mt. Elgon… Read.

  • Senate considers funding cuts to Kenyan security forces over human rights abuses (Part I)

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    Last month, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations released a report of the Department of State Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2013. In the section of the report that discusses Foreign Military Financing (FMF), there is a paragraph about Kenya that reads as follows: “The Committee directs the Secretary of… Read.

  • History may judge the MNLA as lost opportunity

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    Times are tough for the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). Only two months ago, the Tuareg rebel group was at its peak. Having possessed the strategic initiative in the aftermath of the Malian military’s March 22 coup against Amadou Toumani Touré, the MNLA had also been well armed with machine guns, mortars, antitank and antiaircraft… Read.

  • New AFRICOM Brigade a Test Case for a Leaner Pentagon

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    (Originally published in World Politics Review on June 5, 2012) With budgetary constraints looming and global priorities shifting, the U.S. military is in the process of pursuing leaner and more adaptive ways to achieve U.S. national security objectives around the globe. This effort is in accordance with the Department of Defense’s (DOD) 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance (.pdf),… Read.

  • The KDF (finally) takes Afmadow and Kenya to (officially) join AMISOM

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    More than seven months into its invasion of southern Somalia, Kenya has seized the city of Afmadow. The fall of Afmadow marks the second major blow for al-Shabaab this week, having lost the Afgoye corridor located west of Mogadishu to troops from the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Having controlled much of south-central Somalia… Read.

  • Kenya: Moi Ave blast marks tactical shift for terrorists

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    Monday afternoon, there was an explosion on Moi Avenue in downtown Nairobi. Initially, Kenyan authorities suspected that the cause of this explosion was either an act of terrorism or was caused by an electrical fault. However, it now appears that the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism – although as of yet,… Read.

  • “It was the worst of times, it was the best of times”

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. The following is a story about a particularly miserable travel experience that ended up being pretty rewarding:… Read.

  • If African leaders are the “glue” what happens when they leave?

    Over the weekend, Zimbabwe’s Standard Sunday newspaper published an interview with President Robert Mugabe’s former Home Affairs and Defence Minister Enos Nkala. Nkala, who had since fallen out with Mugabe, spoke with the Zimbabwean leader last week and stated “From what we discussed, Mugabe said he is tired and wants to retire but he cannot do so… Read.

  • Brazil’s growing relations with Africa through the lens of its African heritage

    As I mentioned on my About Me page, I studied abroad in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in college and researched the evolution of Afro-Brazilian identity and politics for my senior thesis. So, since issues related to Brazil’s African heritage and its growing relations with Africa have recently been in the news, I’ve decided to merge… Read.

  • South Sudan celebrates SPLA Day, but what about human rights?

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    On May 16, South Sudan commemorated the 29th anniversary of the founding of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). On top of fighting a 22 year-long war that secured South Sudan’s independence last year, the SPLA will now protect the country in the event that the low-intensity conflict with Sudan escalates. While South Sudan’s security forces had already espoused… Read.

  • Implications of EU NAVFOR Strikes on Somali Pirate Bases

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    From outset of the international community’s efforts to counter piracy off the coast of Somalia, a wide range of options have been under consideration. In an article written in 2009, I identified eight possible counterpiracy options, which are as follows: Accepting piracy as a cost of doing business Tracing and targeting pirate finances Increasing the… Read.

  • Senegal’s New Government Reviews Policies Related to Fishing Industry

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    Earlier this month, Senegal’s recently elected president, Macky Sall, revoked 29 licenses of pelagic fishing vessels belonging to Russia, Comoros, Lithuania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Belize. This decision came a month after Sall’s first presidential speech in which he declared urgency to act in the country’s fisheries sector, and pledged to review the… Read.

  • South Sudan’s Militia Melodrama

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    Yesterday, Al-Jazeera reported a “mass defection” of Sudanese troops to South Sudan after their refusal to attack the Kadar oilfield in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state over the weekend. According to Southern People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer Panyang, they defected with “full equipment, ten vehicles, seven mounted with heavy machine guns including… Read.

  • Do we understand perceptions of U.S. military involvement in Africa?

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    Earlier this week, The Independent published an interview with Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, “Somalia, Museveni, and Militarising the Region.” The interview was a good read and confirmed many of my suspicions of Uganda’s (read: President Museveni’s) perception of the country’s role in regional security. However, I was slightly annoyed at his allusions to the U.S.… Read.

  • Maybe ECOWAS isn’t the solution to Mali’s political crisis

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    After last month’s “transition” to civilian rule, the military junta’s statements undermining the spirit of said transition, the subsequent arrests of key political, military, and business leaders, and this week’s attempted counter-coup in Mali, it occurred to me that perhaps ECOWAS isn’t capable of providing a solution to Mali’s political crisis. Sure, ECOWAS was able to put a… Read.

  • “South Sudan Will Infect You”

    As a group of us sat around a table at our Kenyan-run hotel compound in Rumbek, southern Sudan last spring, my friend, an academic from South Sudan spoke of the droves of people who had passed through South Sudan over the years – politicians, diplomats, aid workers, researchers (like myself). We all kept coming back. Some… Read.

  • North Africa and the Sahel: Implications of the Arab Awakening (CNA Conference Report)

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    In February, CNA’s Center for Strategic Studies and McDaniel College co-hosted a conference to examine recent developments in North Africa in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, and their implications for U.S. policy in that part of the world. The day-long conference included presentations by U.S. government officials and recognized experts on this part of the world from universities,… Read.

  • Does War Serve Political Interests in Sudan and South Sudan?

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    When the situation along the Sudan-South Sudan border started to rapidly deteriorate a few weeks ago, I started to wonder what factors could be causing the Sudans to push each other closer and closer to conflict. So, I decided to explore a line of logic focusing on whether war, or at least low-intensity conflict, served… Read.

  • What might South Sudan’s Invasion of Heglig Indicate about its Negotiation Tactics?

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    It’s been a few days since South Sudan withdrew its troops from Heglig…or was expelled from the area, depending on which side you favor in the ongoing tit-for-tat between Sudan and South Sudan. Yet, there have been no signs of either country backing away from the precipice of war. In a nutshell, the causes of… Read.

  • Rise in Gulf of Guinea Piracy Calls Attention to Need for Regional Cooperation

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    Yesterday, the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre released its quarterly report on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, which highlighted the rise in pirate attacks in West Africa – mainly in Nigeria. While there were 10 reported pirate attacks in Nigeria for all of 2011, in the first three months of 2012, there have… Read.

  • Why Uganda Might Intervene in a Sudan-South Sudan Conflict

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    Over the past few months, there has been a steady escalation in the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan. Earlier this week, regional media sources reported that Uganda would support Juba in the case of a full-scale war with Khartoum. What are some potential reasons for Uganda’s to get involved in this conflict? Historical Ties,… Read.

  • Mali: Arrested Civilian Transition Portends Additional Challenges in Addressing Tuareg Rebellion

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    In spite of last week’s inauguration of Dioncounda Traoré as interim President, Mali’s military junta is still calling the shots, as evidenced by the arrests of several members of Mali’s political and military elite earlier this week. I won’t go into too much detail on the civilian transition and these arrests, as such analysis has… Read.

  • Update: Guinea-Bisssau Coup

    So I’m still unclear on what’s going on in Guinea-Bissau, but here’s what I have gathered so far: Elements of the country’s military have rather creatively proclaimed themselves the “Military Command.” The stated goal of the coup is to protect Guinea-Bissau from “foreign aggression,” which likely alludes to Angola’s mil-to-mil engagement to reform the country’s security sector.… Read.

  • Coup (attempt?) in Guinea Bissau

    There appear to be reports of a coup, or a coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau. For those unfamiliar with the country’s political turmoil in the past few years, Guinea-Bissau had been labeled a “narco-state” due to its role as a transit point for drugs – primarily cocaine – coming from Latin America across the Sahel and… Read.

  • Ethnically Ambiguous Journeys through the Diaspora

    On my About Me page, I alluded to the possibility of writing about my experience traveling in Africa – to add an entertaining counterweight to my more analytical rants and musings on the events unfolding on the continent. I figured a good intro to those types of posts would be the following short story: One… Read.

  • How to Create Your Own State: Lessons for the MNLA from Africa’s Successful Irredentist Movements

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    Today, the MNLA released a statement that they “irrevocably declare, as of this day Friday, April 6, 2012, the independent state of Azawad.” However a cursory look at post-colonial African history demonstrates that a declaration alone does not a state make. Signed in 1963, Article III of the Charter of the Organization of African Unity… Read.

  • Instability in Mali Complicates Regional Approach to AQIM

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    (Originally published in World Politics Review on April 5, 2012) Over the weekend, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) seized Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu, the three major cities of northern Mali that lie within the region the Tuareg rebel group refers to as “Azawad.” This development highlights the inability of the military-led… Read.

  • After the loss of Kidal and Gao, what next for the MNLA and CNRDR?

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    As anticipated, the MNLA has seized upon the confusion in Bamako to advance from more rural targets such as Ménaka and Tessalit to those that are more heavily populated and strategically important. In the last two days, Tuareg rebels have seized the northeastern Malian towns of Kidal and Gao, along with their military garrisons, making Timbuktu… Read.

  • Three Takeaways from Last Week’s Coup in Mali

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    Last week in Mali, mid-level military officers led by Captain Amadou Haya Sanogo declared themselves the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDR) and deposed democratically-elected president Amadou Toumani Touré in a bloodless coup. Known as the “soldier of democracy” Touré had himself launched a coup in 1991 against the military regime… Read.

  • Lasting Solutions Elusive for South Sudan’s Militia Problem

    (Originally published in World Politics Review on March 12, 2012) Since the spring of 2010, South Sudan has been facing an onslaught of militia activity in Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states. For the most part, the government has pursued an “amnesty and integration” policy toward these militias, whereby members are offered amnesty for their… Read.

  • From Diplomacy to Invasion: Will Kenya be the Next Country That Fails to Stabilize Somalia?

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    (Originally published in the Journal of International Peace Operations, Volume 7, Number 5 – March-April 2012) SINCE the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, Kenya has opted to pursue a multilateral and primarily diplomatic approach to addressing the many problems in Somalia. Yet by the fall of 2011, the persistent instability emanating from Somalia… Read.

  • Experts Talk About a Post-Qadhafi Libya

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtMW_qZvZ8c Will the death of deposed Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi leave cracks in the fragile foundation of the National Transition Council? CNA research analysts Patricio Asfura-Heim and Lesley Anne Warner discuss a Libya without a dictator and what it means for the future. Produced by Randy Garsee. Read.

  • The Two Sudans

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNU8ctsK6uw&list=UUK4j3y7KVe514tGiR3Q1yTQ&index=4&feature=plcp In an historic move, southern Sudan voted in January 2011 to become a separate nation from northern Sudan. Recently back from a trip to Rumbek in southern Sudan, CNA research analyst Lesley Anne Warner discusses the future of the two Sudans. Read.

  • Disputed Border Region Could Undermine Peaceful Sudan Division

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    (Originally published in the Atlantic.com on June 22, 2011) On July 9, southern Sudan will declare its independence from Sudan in accordance with the terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2005. But with less than three weeks remaining before southern Sudan becomes… Read.

  • From Sea to Shore: Somali Piracy Requires a Solution on Land

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    (Originally published in the Journal of International Peace Operations, Volume 5, Number4, January – February 2010) SINCE the spike in piracy off the coast of Somalia in 2008, the United States and other international stakeholders have achieved moderate success employing a range of counter-piracy methods at sea. A series of U.N. Security Council resolutions passed in 2008… Read.

Official White House Photo by Polly Irungu